This disclosure relates generally intravenous catheters. More specifically, this disclosure discusses various methods of using and systems of sterile intravenous catheter securement dressings to permit sterile securement of the intravenous catheter to a patient.
Generally, vascular access devices are used for communicating fluid with the vascular system of patients. For example, catheters are used for infusing fluid (e.g., saline solution, medicaments, and/or total parenteral nutrition) into a patient, withdrawing fluids (e.g., blood) from a patient, and/or monitoring various parameters of the patient's vascular system.
Intravenous (IV) catheter assemblies are among the various types of vascular access devices. Over-the-needle peripheral IV catheters are a common IV catheter configuration. As its name implies, an over-the-needle catheter is mounted over an introducer needle having a sharp distal tip. The introducer needle is generally a venipuncture needle coupled to a needle assembly that helps guide the needle and facilitates its cooperation with the catheter. At least the inner surface of the distal portion of the catheter tightly engages the outer surface of the needle to prevent peelback of the catheter and, thereby, to facilitate insertion of the catheter into the blood vessel. The catheter and the introducer needle are often assembled so that the sharp distal tip of the introducer needle extends beyond the distal tip of the catheter. Moreover, the catheter and needle are often assembled so that during insertion, the bevel of the needle faces up, away from the patient's skin. The catheter and introducer needle are generally inserted at a shallow angle through the patient's skin into a blood vessel.
Following catheterization, the intravenous catheter assembly is secured to the patient to prevent premature and/or unintended removal of the catheter assembly. A dressing is often applied to limit exposure to the catheter site and further protect the catheter assembly from contaminants and from being inadvertently moved or dislodged. In some instances, the clinician holds the inserted catheter assembly in place by digital pressure while preparing and applying a dressing and adhesive strips to the catheter assembly. This process generally requires both hands of the clinician, and therefore the clinician commonly prepares the dressing and adhesive strips prior to inserting the catheter assembly into the patient, requiring placing the dressing and adhesive strips in a temporary location while attempting to secure the catheter assembly. This temporary location placement may provide additional opportunities for infective agents to contact the catheter assembly and catheter insertion site from the dressing and adhesive strips. In other instances, a first clinician catheterizes the patient while a second clinician prepares and applies the dressing and adhesive strips to secure the inserted catheter assembly, lessening the infection risk, but greatly increasing the resources and effort required to place a catheter. Thus, the process of securing the inserted catheter assembly to the patient can be time consuming, cumbersome, and in some instances, add undue risk of infection.